The present invention relates to an image formation process and an image information preparation process of silver halide photographic light sensitive materials.
Silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials (hereinafter, also denoted simply as photographic materials) are used as a recording material which is simple and low in cost but nonetheless capable of providing high quality images. These materials have greatly contributed to the advancement of industry and culture, and are indispensable material.
Silver halide color photographic material such as color negative film, after exposure, is subjected to color development to form yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) dye images along with formation of silver images, which is subsequently subjected to bleaching to bleach the silver images to silver halide. The thus formed silver halide becomes a soluble silver complex and is removed from the photographic material. The photographic material is further subjected to a stabilization treatment to wash out any residual fixing agent and to cleanse the photographic material.
In the universally employed processing for color negative film (e.g., Process C-41 or CNK-4), as described above, the photographic material is subjected to many processing steps, often resulting in problems such that the processing time becomes relatively lengthy and the processing apparatus becomes larger. There also arise problems such that water is needed to make processing solutions and its dissolution work is hard, handling the relatively high pH solution is hazardous, it is troublesome to control exhausted processing solutions after processing, and disposal of processing effluents is not preferable for environment protection.
The foregoing problems have rarely arisen in large volume labs. Recently, on-site processing, so-called mini-lab has increased to enhance convenience of color film processing, for which a compact and rapid-accessible photographic processing system is desired, which can be handled even by a non-specialist or a part-time worker and is simple, safe and friendly to the environment. Further thereto, to achieve further enhancement of convenience of color films, it is also desired to introduce a photographic processing system into a place such as convenience stores, where a photographic processing apparatus has not been provided and therefore, development of a compact and rapid-accessible photographic processing system which functions in a simple and safe manner without discharging effluent and is friendly to the environment is desired to replace conventional processing systems.
Various attempts have been made in response to such a desire. For example, JP-A Nos. 9-325463 and 10-62938 (hereinafter, the term, JP-A refers to unexamined and published Japanese Patent Application) disclose a technique, in which a photographic material is superposed onto a processing element in the presence of water and the material is then heated to form images. Such a technique enables easy processing of a photographic material, but the photographic material used therein is a specific one which occludes a color developing agent and conventional color films are not applicable thereto.
JP-A Nos. 11-184055 and 11-65054 disclose a technique, in which a developer solution containing a color developing agent is coated or sprayed onto a photographic material to form dye images. Although this imaging process has the advantage that conventional color negative films are processable, handling the high pH solution containing the color developing agent in a relatively high concentration results in problems of safety and storage of the processing solution, so that the foregoing desire was not satisfied.
Nowadays, in the so-called digitization age, it is common that image information is optically read out from photographed and processed film to form images, using an image sensor such as film scanner, converted to electric signals and digitized, thereby, the image information can be stocked as signals and subjected to computer processing to obtain dye images using a photo-copy or a hard copy. In such an imaging process is generally performed an image input by using a digital camera provided with a solid-state image sensor as well as conventional silver salt photographic films (such as color negative film). However, high quality images cannot be obtained by low-priced digital cameras which are relatively low in pixel density and narrow in dynamic range and which is very much expensive relative to a conventional lens-fitted film. On the other hand, the process of reading image information after subjecting a photographic material to a simple processing inherently has the foregoing problems involved in photographic processing and is also not a satisfactory one.
In view of the foregoing, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an image forming process, which is high in safety and friendly to the environment.
It is a second object of the invention to provide an image forming process, which is easy in operation or control, rapid-accessible and superior in storage stability of an aqueous medium used in image formation.
It is a third object of the invention to provide an image forming process, which is easy to operate or control, rapid-accessible, thereby forming images at a high sensitivity and a low fogging level and with superior lasting quality.
It is a fourth object of the invention to provide an image forming process and image information preparing process, which are capable of taking dye image information as digital information at a low cost out of a universally employed color negative film.
The foregoing objects of the invention can be achieved by the following constitution:
1. An image formation process comprising:
(a) imagewise exposing a silver halide photographic material comprising on a support at least a silver halide emulsion layer to light, and
(b) placing the exposed photographic material over a processing element, together with an aqueous medium being present between the photographic material and the processing element to perform development, thereby forming an image in the photographic material,
wherein the aqueous medium contains at least a color developing agent or a precursor thereof, and the aqueous medium having a viscosity of 10.1 to 15000 cp at 25xc2x0 C.
The present invention is further achieved by the following preferred embodiments:
2. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the aqueous medium has a pH of 4.0 to 11.0 at 25xc2x0 C.;
3. The image formation process described in 2, wherein the aqueous medium has a pH of 4.0 to 9.0 at 25xc2x0 C.;
4. The image formation process described in 1, wherein aqueous medium contains a base precursor;
5. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the color developing agent and the precursor thereof are respectively a compound represented by the following formula (1) and a compound capable of releasing or forming the compound represented by the formula (1) in the presence of alkali: 
wherein R1 and R2 are each an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that R1 and R2 may combine with each other to form a ring; R3 is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that plural R3s may combine with each other to form a ring; and n is an integer of 0 to 4;
6. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the aqueous medium contains at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulas (2) through (7): 
wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkylcarbonamido group, an arylcarbonamido group, an alkylsulfonamido group, an arylsulfonamido group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylcarbamoyl group, an arylcarbamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkylsulfamoyl group, an arylsufamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, a carboxyl group, a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group, an amino group, a hydroxy group or a heterocyclic group; 
wherein M is a hydrogen atom, metal atom or quaternary ammonium; Z represents an atomic group necessary to form a N-containing heterocycric ring; n is an integer of 0 to 5; R4 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkylcarbonamido group, an arylcarbonamido group, an alkylsulfonamido group, an arylsulfonamido group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylcarbamoyl group, an arylcarbamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkylsulfamoyl group, an arylsufamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, carboxyl group, a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group, an amino group, a hydroxy group or a heterocyclic group, provided that when n is 2 or more, plural R4s may be the same or different and may combine with each other to form a ring; 
wherein Q represents an atomic group necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered N-containing heterocycric ring; m is an integer of 0 to 5; R5 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkylcarbonamido group, an arylcarbonamido group, an alkylsulfonamido group, an arylcarbonamido group, an alkylsulfonamido group, an arylsulfonamido group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylcarbamoyl group, an arylcarbamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkylsulfamoyl group, an arylsufamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, a carboxyl group, a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group, an amino group, a hydroxy group or a heterocyclic group, provided that when m is 2 or more, plural R5s may be the same or different and may combine with each other to form a ring;
H2Nxe2x80x94R6xe2x80x83xe2x80x83formula (5)
wherein R6 is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; 
wherein R7 and R8 are each an alkyl group, aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that R7 and R8 may combine with each other to form a ring; 
wherein R9 and R10 are each an alkyl group, aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that R9 and R10 may combine with each other to form a ring;
7. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the processing element contains at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulas (2) through (7) as described in 6;
8. The image formation process described in 6, wherein the color developing agent and the precursor thereof are a compound represented by formula (1) as claimed in claim 5 and a compound capable of releasing or forming the compound represented by the formula (1) in the presence of alkali, respectively;
9. The image formation process described in 7, wherein the color developing agent and the precursor of the color developing agent are a compound represented by formula (1) as described in 5 and a compound capable of releasing or forming the compound represented by the formula (1) in the presence of alkali, respectively;
10. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the aqueous medium contains a compound represented by the following formula (A): 
wherein R11, and R12 are each a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, provided that R11 and R12 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time and R11 and R12 may combine with each other to form a ring;
11. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the photographic material is substantially free of a color developing agent and a precursor thereof;
12. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the processing element is substantially free of a color developing agent and a precursor thereof;
13. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the processing element contains a sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound, and the aqueous medium containing a complex forming compound;
14. The image formation process described in 1, where the processing element contains a complex forming compound, and the aqueous medium containing a sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound;
15. The image formation process described in 13, wherein the following requirement is met:
1xe2x89xa6c/(a+b)xe2x89xa610
wherein xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d is an amount of gelatin contained in the photographic material (expressed in g/m2), xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d is an amount of gelatin contained in the processing element (expressed in g/m2) and xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d is an amount of the complex forming compound contained in the aqueous medium (expressed in mmol/m2);
16. The image formation process described in 14, wherein the following requirement is met:
1xe2x89xa6c/(a+b)xe2x89xa610
wherein xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d is an amount of gelatin contained in the photographic material (expressed in g/m2), xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d is an amount of gelatin contained in the processing element (expressed in g/m2) and xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d is an amount of the complex forming compound contained in the processing element (expressed in mmol/m2);
17. The image formation process described in 13, wherein the following requirement is met:
0.2xe2x89xa6d/cxe2x89xa66
wherein xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d is an amount of the complex forming compound contained in the aqueous medium (expressed in mmol/m2 unit) and xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d is an amount of the sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound contained in the processing element (expressed in mmol/m2 unit);
18. The image formation process described in 14, wherein the following requirement is met:
0.2xe2x89xa6d/cxe2x89xa66
wherein xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d is an amount of the complex forming compound contained in the processing element (expressed in mmol/m2 unit) and xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d is an amount of the sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound contained in the aqueous medium (expressed in mmol/m2 unit);
19. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the following requirement is met:
1xe2x89xa6e/(a+b)xe2x89xa66
wherein xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d is an amount of gelatin contained in the photographic material (expressed in g/m2 unit), xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d is an amount of gelatin contained in the processing element (expressed in g/m2 unit) and xe2x80x9cexe2x80x9d is an amount of water contained in the aqueous medium (expressed in g/m2 unit);
20. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the following requirement is met:
3xe2x89xa6fxe2x89xa640
wherein xe2x80x9cfxe2x80x9d is an amount of the color developing agent or the precursor thereof contained in the aqueous medium (expressed in mmol/m2 unit);
21. The image formation process described in 1, wherein in step (b), the aqueous medium is provided onto the processing element and further thereon, the photographic material is placed;
22. The image formation method described in 1, wherein in step (b), the development is performed at a temperature of 43xc2x0 C. to 95xc2x0 C.;
23. The image formation process described in 22, wherein in step (b), the development is performed at a temperature of 50xc2x0 C. to 95xc2x0 C.;
24. The image formation process described in 1, wherein the photographic material comprises on a support a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a yellow dye forming coupler, a green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a magenta dye forming coupler and a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a cyan dye forming coupler;
25. A process of preparing image information, wherein an image formed in the photographic material according to the image formation process described in any of 1 through 24 is read by an image sensor to convert it to electric signals;
26. The process of preparing image information described in 25, wherein the formed image information is read substantially without removing silver or a silver compound from the photographic material; and
27. The process of preparing image information described in 25 or 26, wherein the formed image information is read without peeling the processing element.
The present invention concerns an image formation process comprising superposing the exposed photographic material onto a processing element, together with an aqueous medium interposed between the photographic material and the processing element to perform development, thereby forming an image in the photographic material, wherein the aqueous medium contains at least a color developing agent or a precursor thereof, and the aqueous medium having a viscosity of 10.1 to 15000 cp at 25xc2x0 C.
The aqueous medium for use in image formation in the invention will be described. The aqueous medium used in the invention contains at least one color developing agent and/or a precursor of the color developing agent.
The color developing agent refers to a compound capable of oxidizing silver halide having a latent image and becoming an oxidized product, which reacts with a coupler to form a dye. Examples of the color developing agent include compounds (C-1) through (C-16) described in JP-A No. 4-86741 at page 7 to 9; compounds (1) through (8) described in JP-A No. 61-289350 at page 29 to 31; compounds (1) through (62) described in JP-A No. 3-246543 at page 5 to 9; exemplified compounds (C-1) and (C-3) described in JP-A No. 4-86741; exemplified compound (2) described in JP-A No. 61-289350; exemplified compound (1) described in JP-A No. 3-246543; sulfonamidophenol type color developing agents represented by formula (8) through (12) described in JP-A No. 2001-154325; sulfonamidoaniline type color developing agents and hydrazine type color developing agents. In addition thereto are also usable precursors of a p-phenylenediamine type color developing agent represented by formulas (1) through (6) described in JP-A Nos. 5-241305 and 11-167185 and Japanese Patent Application No. 11-358973. Of these, p-phenylenediamine type color developing agents are preferably used to efficiently achieve the objects of the invention and compounds having water-solubilizing group (i.e., a group promoting solubility in water) such as a hydroxy group or sulfonyl group are preferably used.
In the invention, preferred p-phenylenediamine type color developing agent is represented by the following formula (1): 
wherein R1 and R2 are each an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that R1 and R2 may combine with each other to form a ring; R3 is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that plural R3s may combine with each other to form a ring; and n is an integer of 0 to 4.
A precursor of a color developing agent (hereinafter, also denoted as a color developing agent precursor) usable in the invention is preferably a compound capable of releasing or forming the compound represented by the foregoing formula (1) in the presence of alkali.
The compound capable of releasing or forming the compound represented by formula (1) in the presence of alkali is preferably a compound represented by the following formula (1B): 
wherein R1 and R2 are each an alkyl group, an aromatic group or a heterocyclic group, provided that R1 and R2 may combine with each other to form a ring; R3 is an alkyl group, an aromatic group or a heterocyclic group, provided that plural R3s may combine with each other to form a ring; R4 and R5 are hydrogen atom or a group capable of becoming a hydrogen on hydrolysis, provided that R4 and R5 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time and may combine with each other to form a ring; and n is an integer of 0 to 4.
Examples of the color developing agent precursor include compounds 1- through 1-18, 2-1 through 2-22, 3-1 through 3-13, 4-1 through 4-8 and 5-1 through 5-8, described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-312253.
The aqueous medium preferably exhibits a pH of 4.0 to 11.0 at 25xc2x0 C. The pH at the time of color development needs to be relatively high to perform color development. In the invention, releasing alkali needed for development from a base precursor described later achieved lowering of the pH of the aqueous medium. Thereby, storage stability of a color developing agent or its precursor contained in the aqueous medium was enhanced and dissolution in the aqueous medium at a high concentration was also achieved, providing stable dye images having a high density.
The viscosity of the aqueous medium needs to be 10.1 to 15000 cp (centi-poise) at 25xc2x0 C. to effectively accomplish the objects of the invention. In cases when the viscosity is lower than the foregoing range, unevenness in development easily occur, and the viscosity higher than the range causes disadvantages such as lowering in color density. The viscosity is preferably 15 to 3000 cp, and more preferably 100 to 2500 cp. Techniques for controlling the viscosity include, for example, allowing a water-soluble polymer to be contained in a processing solution within the range having no effect on processing performance and allowing a hydrophilic solvent other than water to be contained in the processing solution to the extent having no effect on processing performance, but is not specifically limited to these examples. Examples of the water-soluble polymer include vinyl polymers and their derivatives such as polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyvinyl pyridinium halide and various modified polyvinyl alcohol; acryl group-containing polymers such as polyacrylamide, polydimethylacrylamide, polydimethylaminoacrylate, poly (sodium acrylate), a salt of copolymer of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, poly(sodium methacrylate) and a salt of a copolymer of acrylic acid and vinyl alcohol; natural polymeric material and its derivative such as starch, oxidized starch carboxyl starch, dialdehyde starch, cationic starch, dextrin, sodium alginate, Arabic gum, casein, pullulan, dextran, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and hydroxypropyl cellulose; synthetic polymers such as polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyvinyl ether, polyglycerin, copolymer of alky maleate and vinyl ether, copolymer of maleic acid and N-vinylpyrrole, copolymer of styrene and anhydrous maleic acid and polyethyleneimine.
To effectively accomplish the objects of the invention, it is preferred to control the amount of a color developing agent or its precursor supplied from the aqueous medium. Thus, the total amount (represented by xe2x80x9cfxe2x80x9d mmol/l) of a color developing agent or its precursor supplied from or contained in the aqueous medium preferably be within the following range:
xe2x80x833xe2x89xa6fxe2x89xa640 (mmol/m2).
When the amount (f) is adjusted to fall within this range, sufficiently high color density is obtained and fogging is minimized and since the color developing agent or its precursor is not needed to be dissolved in the aqueous medium at a relatively high concentration, deterioration in storage stability of the aqueous medium can be minimized.
The aqueous medium used in the invention may be comprised of a single solution or a mixture of plural sub-solutions (or partial solutions). When mixing plural sub-solutions, the sub-solutions may be mixed on the surface of a photographic material or processing element. Alternatively, immediately after the sub-solutions are mixed, the mixture is placed onto the photographic material or processing element. The aqueous medium is preferably comprised of a single solution in terms of simplification of the processing apparatus structure and uniformity of processing.
Next, the processing element used in the invention will be described. The processing element refers to a sheet-form element, onto which the photographic material is placed in the presence of an aqueous medium between the photographic material and the element to perform color development, thereby images on the photographic material. The processing element is a sheet-form element comprising a support, such as employed in conventional photographic materials, having thereon a binder layer, which optionally contains a specified compound. As a support of the processing element is usable one which is used as a support of conventional photographic materials. Examples thereof include polyolefin film such as polyethylene, polystyrene film, polycarbonate film, cellulose derivative film such as cellulose triacetate, polyester film such as polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate, polyester film having introduced a substituent such as a polar group, and polyimide film obtained from reaction of pyromellitic acid or its anhydride and diamine. In cases when reading images without removing silver or a silver compound from a photographic material or without peeling the processing element after being processed, it is desirable that the optical density of the support used in a processing element preferably is as low as possible.
As binders coated on the processing element are usable those which are the same as used in conventional photographic materials, and hydrophilic binders are preferred. Examples thereof include compounds described in Research Disclosure and JP-A 64-13546 at page (71) to (75). Transparent or translucent, hydrophilic binders are preferable and transparent binders are more preferable. Examples of a preferred binder include natural products, e.g., protein or cellulose derivatives such as gelatin or gelatin derivatives, polysaccharides such as starch, Arabic gum, dextrin, pulullan and colorgienan; and synthetic polymeric compounds such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidine, polyacrylamide. High water-absorbing polymers described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,681 and JP-A 62-245260, i.e., a homopolymer of a vinyl monomer and a copolymer of different vinyl monomers or a copolymer of a vinyl monomer and other vinyl monomer (e.g., sodium methacrylate, ammonium methacrylate, potassium acrylate) are also usable. These binders may be used alone or in combination thereof. In the case of being used in combination, a combination of gelatin and other binder is preferred. Gelatin may be selected from lime-processed gelatin, acid-processed gelatin and decalcified gelatin and their combined use is also preferred.
Next, a base precursor used in the invention will be described. To effectuate the objects of the invention, the base precursor is used as an alkali-supplying source. The base precursor used in the invention refers to a compound capable of releasing alkali upon reaction. Examples thereof include a base-generating compound described in JP-A Nos. 56-13745 and 57-132332; compounds releasing or forming an base component upon heating, as described in British Patent No. 998,949, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,220,846 and 3,523,795, JP-A Nos. 50-22625, 59-168440, 59-168441, 59-180537, 60-237443, 61-32844, 61-36743, 61-52639, 61-51139, 61-51140, 61-52638, 61-53631, 61-53634, 61-53635, 61-53636, 61-53637, 51-53638, 61-53639, 6-53640, 61-55644, 61-55645, 55-646, 61-219950, and 61-251840; and a combination of a sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound and a compound capable of releasing alkali upon complex forming reaction, through water as medium, with a metal ion constituting the sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound, as described in European Patent No. 210,660 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,445. Preferred base precursors used in the invention include the combined use of a sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound and a compound capable of releasing alkali upon complex forming reaction with a metal ion constituting the sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound together with water as medium.
In the invention, the foregoing sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound (hereinafter, also called a sparingly soluble metal compound) and compound releasing alkali upon complex forming reaction with a metal ion constituting the basic metal compound, through water as medium (hereinafter, also called a complex forming compound or complexing agent) are each defined as a base precursor. Compounds forming a complex with a metal ion constituting the sparing soluble metal compound include, for example, aminoacrboxylic acid and its salt such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid; aminosulfonic acid and its salt; pyridylcarboxylic acid and its salt such as 2-picolinic acid, pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and 5-ethyl-2-picolinic acid; and iminodiacetic acid and its salt such as benzylaminodicarboxylic acid and -picolyliminodiacetic acid. The complex forming compound (or complexing compound) is preferably used in the form of a salt formed by neutralization with an organic base such as guanidine or alkali metal such as sodium.
Examples of the sparingly water-soluble basic metal compound include a metal oxide, metal hydroxide, metal carbonate, metal phosphate, metal silicate, metal nitrate, and metal aluminate, each of which exhibits a solubility in water at 25xc2x0 C. of 0.5 or less. Specifically, a metal compound represented by the following formula (M) is preferred:
xe2x80x83ZgXhxe2x80x83xe2x80x83formula (M)
wherein Z represents a metal ion other than alkali metal ions; X represents an oxide ion, hydroxide ion, carbonate ion, phosphate ion, silicate ion, nitrate ion or aluminate ion; g and h each represent an integer necessary to allow the valence number of Z to counterbalance that of X.
The metal compound represented by formula (M) may be present in a hydrated form or may form a double salt. In formula (M), xe2x80x9cZxe2x80x9d is preferably Zn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Zr2+, Ba2+, Sr2+ or Ca2+, and more preferably Zn2+. xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d is preferably a oxide ion, hydroxide ion, phosphate ion or carbonate ion. Examples of the metal compound include Zn(OH)2, ZnO, Co(OH)2, CoO, Ni(OH)2, Cu(OH)2, Fe(OH)2, Mn(OH)2, BaCO3, basic zinc carbonate, basic cobalt carbonate, basic nickel carbonate and basic bismuth carbonate. Specifically, when dispersed in water, a compound causing no coloring in the dispersion is preferred. The base precursor is introduced by allowing at least a base precursor to be contained in the foregoing aqueous medium. In cases when supplying the combination of the complexing compound and sparingly soluble metal compound from the aqueous medium, as described earlier, it is preferred that the aqueous medium be divided to two or more sub-solution, and the complexing compound and sparingly soluble metal compound are separately introduced into the sub-solutions.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the complexing compound is contained in the aqueous medium and the sparingly soluble metal compound is contained in the processing element. Alternatively, the sparingly soluble metal compound is contained in the aqueous medium and the complexing compound is contained in the processing element. In this case for example, when the processing element contains the sparingly soluble metal compound and the aqueous medium contains the complexing compound, it is desirable that any complexing compound be substantially not contained in the processing element and any sparingly soluble metal compound be substantially not contained in the aqueous medium.
To achieve effective accomplishment of the objects of the invention, it is preferred to adjust the relationship in amount between the total amount of gelatin contained in the silver halide photographic material and processing element and the ratio of a sparingly soluble metal compound to a complexing compound. Thus, in one preferred embodiment of the invention, the following requirement is met:
1xe2x89xa6c/(a+b)xe2x89xa610
where xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d are amounts of gelatin contained in the photographic material and processing element, respectively (expressed in g/m2); and xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d is the amount of a complexing compound contained in the processing element or provided by the aqueous medium (expressed in g/m2). Further, in one preferred embodiment of the invention, the following requirement is met:
0.2xe2x89xa6d/cxe2x89xa66
where xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d is the amount of a sparingly soluble metal compound contained in the processing element or provided by the aqueous medium (expressed in g/m2)
Gelatin has a buffer capacity in pH and to maintain a sufficient amount of alkali, it is of importance to adjust amounts of gelatin and a complexing compound and amounts of the complexing compound and a sparingly soluble metal compound. The complexing compound, depending on the kind, has more or less restraining effect on development of silver halide. Such a restraining effect produces no serious problem in silver halide emulsions exhibiting high developability used in photographic materials for appreciation. However, there is not a little influence on silver halide emulsions containing a relatively high iodide and exhibiting low developability, used in photographic materials for camera use, such as color negative film used in the invention. From this point of view, the foregoing requirement regarding the amount is of importance.
Supplying the color developing agent and/or its precursor from an aqueous medium of a given pH enables to obtain a color image stably having a high density and also to process conventional photographic material such as color negative film. To achieve the objects of the invention, accordingly, it is preferred that the foregoing photographic material is substantially free of the color developing agent and/or its precursor and the processing element described earlier also is substantially free of the color developing agent and/or its precursor. The photographic material or processing element being substantially free of a color developing agent and/or its precursor enhances aging stability of the photographic material or processing element and enables to obtain invariably stable color images. Herein, the photographic material or processing element being substantially free of a color developing agent and/or its precursor means that the photographic material or processing element contains a color developing agent and/or its precursor in an amount of not more than 0.01 mmol/m2.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the amount of water supplied by the aqueous medium is specifically limited. Thus, the following requirement is preferably met:
1xe2x89xa6e/(a+b)xe2x89xa66
where xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d are amounts of gelatin contained in the photographic material and the processing element, respectively (expressed in g/m2); and xe2x80x9cexe2x80x9d is the amount of water provided by the aqueous medium (expressed in g/m2). In cases when the amount of water is less than that represented by the foregoing range, color development reaction is not sufficiently caused up to the lowest layer, and when the amount of water exceeds that represented by the foregoing range, the aqueous medium is squeezed out of the spacing between the photographic material and processing element, staining the interior of a processor and causing troubles such as unevenness in development.
After the aqueous medium according to the invention is provided to a processing element, the processing element may be superposed onto a photographic material. Alternatively, after the aqueous medium is provided to a photographic material, the photographic material may be superposed onto a processing element. To efficiently achieve the objects of the invention, it is effective that after the aqueous medium is provided to a processing element, the processing element be superposed onto a photographic material.
Next, there will be described additives that are introduced into the aqueous medium and/or processing element.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the aqueous medium contains at least one selected from compounds represented by formulas (2) through (7). Formula (2) will be explained: 
wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkylcarbonamido group, an arylcarbonamido group, an alkylsulfonamido group, an arylsulfonamido group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylcarbamoyl group, an arylcarbamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkylsulfamoyl group, an arylsufamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, carboxyl group, carbonyl group, sulfonyl group, an amino group, hydroxy group or a heterocyclic group.
Examples of a halogen atom represented by R1 through R3 of formula (2) include fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, iodine atom; examples of an alkyl group include methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, octyl, dodecyl, hydroxyethyl, methoxyethyl, trifluoromethyl, and benzyl; examples of an aryl group include phenyl and naphthyl; examples of an alkylcarbonamido group include acetylamino, propionylamino and butyloylamino; examples of an arylcarbonamido group include benzoylamino; examples of an alkylsulfonamido group include methanesulfonylamino and ethanesulfonylamino; examples of an arylsulfonamido group include benzenesulfonylamino and toluenesulfonylamino; examples of an aryloxy group include phenoxy; examples of an alkylthio group include methylthio, ethylthio and butylthio; examples of an arylthio group include phenylthio and tolylthio; examples of an alkylcarbamoyl group include methylcarbamoyl, dimethylcarbamoyl, ethylcarbamoyl, dimethylcarbamoyl, dibutylcarbamoyl, piperidylcarbamoyl, and morpholylcarbamoyl; examples of an arylcarbamoyl group include phenylcarbamoyl, methylphenylcarbamoyl, ethylphenylcarbamoyl and benzylphenylcarbamoyl; examples of an alkylsulfamoyl group include methylsulfamoyl, dimethylsulfamoyl, ethylsulfamoyl, diethylsulfamoyl, dibutylsufamoyl, piperidylsulfamoyl, and morpholylsulfamoyl; examples of an arylsulfamoyl group include phenylsulfamoyl, methylphenylsulfamoyl, ethylphenylsulfamoyl, and benzylphenylsulfamoyl; examples of an alkylsulfonyl group include methanesulfonyl, and ethanesulfonyl; examples of an arylsulfonyl group include phenylsufonyl, 4-chlorophenylsulfonyl and p-toluenesulfonyl; examples of an alkoxycarbonyl group include methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl and butoxycarbonyl; examples of an aryloxycarbonyl group include phenoxycarbonyl; examples of an alkylcarbonyl group include acetyl, propionyl and butyloyl; examples of an arylcarbonyl group include benzoyl, and alkylbenzoyl; examples of an acyloxy group include acetyloxy, propionyloxy and butyloyloxy; examples of heterocyclic group include a oxazole ring, imidazole ring, thiazole ring, triazole ring, selenazole ring, tetrazole ring, oxadiazole ring, thiadiazole ring, thiazine ring, triazine ring, benzoxazole ring, benzthiazole ring, benzimidazole ring, indolenine ring, benzoselenazole ring, naphthothiazole ring, triazaindolizine ring, diazaindolizine ring, and tetrazaindoline ring. These substituent groups may be substituted by substituent (s).
Preferred examples of the compound represented by formula (2) are by no means limited to these examples. 
Next, formula (3) will be described: 
wherein M is a hydrogen atom, a metal atom or quaternary ammonium; Z represents an atomic group necessary to form a N-containing heterocycric ring; n is an integer of 0 to 5; R4 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkylcarbonamido group, an arylcarbonamido group, an alkylsulfonamido group, an arylsulfonamido group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylcarbamoyl group, an arylcarbamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkylsulfamoyl group, an arylsufamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, carboxyl group, carbonyl group, sulfonyl group, an amino group, hydroxy group or a heterocyclic group, provided that when n is 2 or more, plural R4s, which may be the same or different may combine with each other to form a ring.
Examples of the metal atom represented by M of formula (3) include Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Ag; and examples of the quaternary ammonium include NH4, N(CH3)4, N(C4H9)4, N(CH3)3C12H25, N(CH3)3C16H33, and N(CH3)3CH2C6H5. Example of the N-containing heterocyclic ring include tetrazole ring, triazole ring, oxadiazole ring, thiadiazole ring, imidazole ring, indole ring, oxazole ring, benzoxazole ring, benzthiazole ring, benzoselenazole ring and naphthoxazole ring.
Examples of a halogen atom represented by R4 of formula (3) include fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, iodine atom; examples of an alkyl group include methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, octyl, dodecyl, hydroxyethyl, methoxyethyl, trifluoromethyl, and benzyl; examples of an aryl group include phenyl and naphthyl; examples of an alkylcarbonamido group include acetylamino, propionylamino and butyloylamino; examples of an arylcarbonamido group include benzoylamino; examples of an alkylsulfonamido group include methanesulfonylamino and ethanesulfonylamino; examples of an arylsulfonamido group include benzenesulfonylamino and toluenesulfonylamino; examples of an aryloxy group include phenoxy; examples of an alkylthio group include methylthio, ethylthio and butylthio; examples of an arylthio group include phenylthio and tolylthio; examples of an alkylcarbamoyl group include methylcarbamoyl, dimethylcarbamoyl, ethylcarbamoyl, dimethylcarbamoyl, dibutylcarbamoyl, piperidylcarbamoyl, and morpholylcarbamoyl; examples of an arylcarbamoyl group include phenylcarbamoyl, methylphenylcarbamoyl, ethylphenylcarbamoyl and benzylphenylcarbamoyl; examples of an alkylsulfamoyl group include methylsulfamoyl, dimethylsulfamoyl, ethylsulfamoyl, diethylsulfamoyl, dibutylsufamoyl, piperidylsulfamoyl, and morpholylsulfamoyl; examples of an arylsulfamoyl group include phenylsulfamoyl, methylphenylsulfamoyl, ethylphenylsulfamoyl, and benzylphenylsulfamoyl; examples of an alkylsulfonyl group include methanesulfonyl, and ethanesulfonyl; examples of an arylsulfonyl group include phenylsufonyl, 4-chlorophenylsulfonyl and p-toluenesulfonyl; examples of an alkoxycarbonyl group include methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl and butoxycarbonyl; examples of an aryloxycarbonyl group include phenoxycarbonyl; examples of an alkylcarbonyl group include acetyl, propionyl and butyloyl; examples of an arylcarbonyl group include benzoyl, and alkylbenzoyl; examples of an acyloxy group include acetyloxy, propionyloxy and butyloyloxy; examples of heterocyclic group include a oxazole ring, imidazole ring, thiazole ring, triazole ring, selenazole ring, tetrazole ring, oxadiazole ring, thiadiazole ring, thiazine ring, triazine ring, benzoxazole ring, benzthiazole ring, benzimidazole ring, indolenine ring, benzoselenazole ring, naphthothiazole ring, triazaindolizine ring, diazaindolizine ring, and tetrazaindolizine ring. These substituent groups may be substituted by substituent (s).
Preferred examples of the compound represented by formula (3) are shown below but are by no means limited to these examples. 
Next formula (4) will be described: 
wherein Q represents an atomic group necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered N-containing heterocycric ring; m is an integer of 0 to 5; R5 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkylcarbonamido group, an arylcarbonamido group, an alkylsulfonamido group, an arylsulfonamido group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylcarbamoyl group, an arylcarbamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkylsulfamoyl group, an arylsufamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, carboxy group, carbonyl group, sulfonyl group, an amino group, hydroxy group or a heterocyclic group, provided that when m is 2 or more, plural R5s may be the same or different and may combine with each other to form a ring.
Examples of the N-containing heterocyclic ring include tetrazole ring, triazole ring, imidazole ring, benztriazole, benzimidazole and naphthotriazole.
Examples of a halogen atom represented by R5 of formula (4) include fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, iodine atom; examples of an alkyl group include methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, octyl, dodecyl, hydroxyethyl, methoxyethyl, trifluoromethyl, and benzyl; examples of an aryl group include phenyl and naphthyl; examples of an alkylcarbonamido group include acetylamino, propionylamino and butyloylamino; examples of an arylcarbonamido group include benzoylamino; examples of an alkylsulfonamido group include methanesulfonylamino and ethanesulfonylamino; examples of an arylsulfonamido group include benzenesulfonylamino and toluenesulfonylamino; examples of an aryloxy group include phenoxy; examples of an alkylthio group include methylthio, ethylthio and butylthio; examples of an arylthio group include phenylthio and tolylthio; examples of an alkylcarbamoyl group include methylcarbamoyl, dimethylcarbamoyl, ethylcarbamoyl, dimethylcarbamoyl, dibutylcarbamoyl, piperidylcarbamoyl, and morpholylcarbamoyl; examples of an arylcarbamoyl group include phenylcarbamoyl, methylphenylcarbamoyl, ethylphenylcarbamoyl and benzylphenylcarbamoyl; examples of an alkylsulfamoyl group include methylsulfamoyl, dimethylsulfamoyl, ethylsulfamoyl, diethylsulfamoyl, dibutylsufamoyl, piperidylsulfamoyl, and morpholylsulfamoyl; examples of an arylsulfamoyl group include phenylsulfamoyl, methylphenylsulfamoyl, ethylphenylsulfamoyl, and benzylphenylsulfamoyl; examples of an alkylsulfonyl group include methanesulfonyl, and ethanesulfonyl; examples of an arylsulfonyl group include phenylsufonyl, 4-chlorophenylsulfonyl and p-toluenesulfonyl; examples of an alkoxycarbonyl group include methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl and butoxycarbonyl; examples of an aryloxycarbonyl group include phenoxycarbonyl; examples of an alkylcarbonyl group include acetyl, propionyl and butyloyl; examples of an arylcarbonyl group include benzoyl, and alkylbenzoyl; examples of an acyloxy group include acetyloxy, propionyloxy and butyloyloxy; examples of heterocyclic group include a oxazole ring, imidazole ring, thiazole ring, triazole ring, selenazole ring, tetrazole ring, oxadiazole ring, thiadiazole ring, thiazine ring, triazine ring, benzoxazole ring, benzthiazole ring, benzimidazole ring, indolenine ring, benzoselenazole ring, naphthothiazole ring, triazaindolizine ring, diazaindolizine ring, and tetrazaindolizine ring. These substituent groups may be substituted by substituent (s).
Preferred examples of the compound represented by formula (4) are shown below but are by no means limited to these examples. 
Next, formula (5) will be described:
H2Nxe2x80x94R6xe2x80x83xe2x80x83Formula (5)
wherein R6 is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group.
Examples of an alkyl group represented by R6 of formula (5) include methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, octyl, dodecyl, hydroxyethyl, methoxyethyl, trifluoromethyl and benzyl; examples of the aryl group include phenyl and naphthyl; examples of the heterocyclic group include an oxazole ring, imidazole ring, thiazole ring, triazole ring, selenazole ring, tetrazole ring, oxadiazole ring, thiadiazole ring, thiazine ring, triazine ring, benzoxazole ring, benzthiazole ring, benzimidazole ring, indolenine ring, benzoselenazole ring, naphthothiazole ring, triazaindolizine ring, diazaindolizine ring, and tetrazaindolizine ring. These substituent groups may be substituted by substituent group(s).
Preferred examples of the compound represented by formula (5) are shown below but are by no means limited to these examples. 
Next, formula (6) will be described: 
wherein R7 and R8, which may be the same or different are each an alkyl group, aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that R7 and R8 may combine with each other to form a ring.
Examples of an alkyl group represented by R7 and R8 of formula (6) include methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, octyl, dodecyl, hydroxyethyl, methoxyethyl, trifluoromethyl and benzyl; examples of the aryl group include phenyl and naphthyl; examples of the heterocyclic group include an oxazole ring, imidazole ring, thiazole ring, triazole ring, selenazole ring, tetrazole ring, oxadiazole ring, thiadiazole ring, thiazine ring, triazine ring, benzoxazole ring, benzthiazole ring, benzimidazole ring, indolenine ring, benzoselenazole ring, naphthothiazole ring, triazaindolizine ring, diazaindolizine ring, and tetrazaindolizine ring. These substituent groups may be substituted by substituent group(s).
Preferred examples of the compound represented by formula (6) are shown below but are by no means limited to these examples. 
Next, formula (7) will be described: 
wherein R9 and R10, which may be the same or different are each an alkyl group, aryl group or a heterocyclic group, provided that R9 and R10 may combine with each other to form a ring.
Examples of an alkyl group represented by R9 and R10 of formula (6) include methyl, ethyl, propyl, i-propyl, butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, octyl, dodecyl, hydroxyethyl, methoxyethyl, trifluoromethyl and benzyl; examples of the aryl group include phenyl and naphthyl; examples of the heterocyclic group include an oxazole ring, imidazole ring, thiazole ring, triazole ring, selenazole ring, tetrazole ring, oxadiazole ring, thiadiazole ring, thiazine ring, triazine ring,-benzoxazole ring, benzthiazole ring, benzimidazole ring, indolenine ring, benzoselenazole ring, naphthothiazole ring, triazaindolizine ring, diazaindolizine ring, and tetrazaindolizine ring. These substituent groups may be substituted by substituent group(s).
Preferred examples of the compound represented by formula (7) are shown below but are by no means limited to these examples. 
In addition to the foregoing color developing agent, its precursor, base precursor and restraining agent, the aqueous medium for image formation used in the invention may contain a solubilizing agent for a color developing agent, preservative, or wetting agent. Examples of the solubilizing agent for a color developing agent include triethanolamine, polyethylene glycols and p-toluenesulfonic acid described in JP-A No. 8-202003. Examples of the preservative include sodium sulfite and hydroxylamine. Specifically, hydroxylamines represented by the following formula (A) are preferred: 
wherein R11 and R12 are each a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, provided that R11 and R12 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time and R11 and R12 may combine with each other to form a ring. The alkyl groups represented by R11 and R12, which may be the same or different, preferably are those having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. The alkyl groups represented by R11 and R12 each may be substituted by a substituent group or may combine with each other to form a ring, for example, a heterocyclic ring such as piperidine or morpholine. The substituent group described above preferably is a sulfonic acid group or an alkoxy group.
The hydroxylamine type compounds represented by formula (A) are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,287,125, 3,293,034 and 3,287,124. Preferred examples thereof are shown below.
These compounds are usually used in the form of a free amine or a salt, such as hydrochloride, sulfate, p-toluenesulfonate, oxalate, phosphate or acetate.
As a preservative can also be used hydroxylamines described in JP-A No. 8-29924, represented by formula [A]. Examples of the wetting agent include propylene glycol, glycerin and sorbitol.
As a coating aid at the time when the aqueous medium is supplied to the photographic material or processing element, surfactants may be added to the processing element as a coating aid for coating a binder layer. Usable surfactants are not specifically limited and surfactants and coating aids generally used in photographic materials are applicable.
To provide the aqueous medium, a spray system utilizing a gas phase and a coating system are applicable. Examples of the spray system include a system of expelling droplets by vibration of a piezoelectric element (e.g., piezo-type ink jet head), a system of expelling droplets by use of a thermal head employing bumping and a system of spraying liquid employing air pressure or hydrauric pressure. The coating system used in the invention refers to supplying the aqueous medium onto the surface of the photographic material or processing element at a constant rate by a so-called coating system. In this case, it is not allowed to immerse the material in a tank filled with water so as to allow the component to be permeated into the material through diffusion from a bulk solution. Means for supplying processing solution in the coating system include, for example, coating the liquid with a roller and directly supplying liquid, such as curtain coating. Such water-supplying means include, for example, an air doctor coater, a blade coater, a rod coater, a knife coater, a squeeze coater, an impregnation coater, a reverse coater, a transfer coater, a curtain coater, a double roller coater, a slide hopper coater, a gravure coater, a kiss roll coater, a bead coater, a casting coater, a spray coater, a calender coater and an extrusion coater.
To efficiently achieve the objects of the invention, thermal processing is conducted to shorten the processing time. The thermal processing is carried out preferably at a developing temperature of 43 to 95xc2x0 C., and more preferably 50 to 95xc2x0 C. Means for heating a photographic material include, for example, a conduction heating means in which a photographic material is brought into contact with a heated drum or heated belt and is heated through thermal conduction, a convection heating means of heating through convection using a dryer or the like, and a radiation heating means of heating through radiation of infrared rays or high frequency electromagnetic waves. In the conduction heating, a heat source is preferably in contact with the back-side of the processing element to avoid adverse effects on the back-side of the photographic material.
In the invention, after the color development stage is completed through the foregoing image forming process, a development stopping treatment may be conducted or not The development stopping treatment includes, for example, addition of acids to the photographic material after completion of development, addition of development restrainers to the photographic material, incorporation of a compound capable of deactivating a color developing agent and incorporation of a compound capable of oxidizing developed silver. To simplify processing, it is advantageous not to conduct the development stopping treatment. For example, it is an effective means that a color development reaction is thermally accelerated and after a sufficiently high image density is obtained, the photographic material is moved to an atmosphere of a relatively low temperature such as room temperature to retard proceeding of the color development reaction to a level having no adverse effect in practice.
To efficiently achieve the objects of the invention, it is effective to read images formed in the photographic material based on the foregoing image forming process, using an image sensor such as a scanner or CCD camera, which converts the images to electric signals. The scanner used in this invention is an apparatus for converting reflection or transmission density obtained by optically scanning a processed photographic material to image information. Scanning the processed photographic material is generally or preferably conducted in such a way that the optical portion of a scanner is allowed to move in a different direction from the moving direction of the processed photographic material. However, the processed photographic material may be fixed and the optical portion of the scanner alone may move; alternatively, the optical portion of the scanner may be fixed and the processed photographic material alone may move. The combination thereof may also be conducted. Image information of the processed photographic material is preferably read in such a manner that at least three lights of different wavelengths, each of which is within the wavelength region of dye absorption, are irradiated overall or by scanning through a slit to measure the reflected or transmitted light. In this case, diffuse light, rather than specular light is more preferable to remove information due to a matting agent or flaws. A semiconductor image sensor (e.g., area-type CCD, CCD line-sensor, etc.) is preferably employed in the receptor section. The processing element may or may not exist in image reading.
To efficiently achieve the objects of the invention, reading formed images without removing silver or a silver compound from the photographic material subjected to color development, i.e., without subjecting the developed photographic material to a bleaching or fixing treatment is effective to simplify the processing or to promptly obtain image information. It is also effective to read image information without peeling off the processing element used in color development from the photographic material.
Any system is applicable for the photographic materials used in the invention, such as a system of forming color through color development with a coupler, a system of color formation by oxidation of leuco dyes, and a system of having a color filter layer and a silver halide layer and obtaining color images without color development.
The photographic material relating to the invention preferably comprises at least a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer to record red, green and blue light. The photographic material more preferably comprises at least a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a cyan dye forming coupler, green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a magenta dye forming coupler and a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a yellow dye forming coupler
In the photographic materials relating to the invention are usable silver halide emulsions described in Research Disclosure NO. 308119 (hereinafter, also denoted simply as RD308119). Relevant portions are shown below.
The silver halide emulsion according to the invention is subjected to physical ripening, chemical ripening and spectral sensitization. As additives used in these processes are shown compounds described in Research Disclosure No. 17643, No. 18716 and No. 308119 (hereinafter, denoted as RD 17643, RD 18716 and RD 308119), as below.
Photographic additives usable in the invention are also described, as below.
A variety of couplers can be employed in the invention and examples thereof are described in research Disclosures described above. Relevant description portions are shown below.
Additives used in the invention can be added by dispersion techniques described in RD 308119 XIV. In the invention are employed supports described in RD 17643, page 28; RD 18716, page 647-648; and RD 308119 XIX. In the photographic material relating to the invention, there can be provided auxiliary layers such as a filter layer and interlayer, as described in RD 308119 VII-K, and arranged in a variety of layer orders such as normal layer order, reverse layer order and a unit layer arrangement.
In cases when the photographic material relating to the invention is used in a roll form, it is preferred to adopt a form of housing it in a cartridge. The cartridge that is most popular at the present time is a 135 format or IX-240 format cartridge. There are also usable cartridges proposed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 58-67329; JP-A Nos. 58-181835, 58-182634; Japanese Utility Model Application No. 58-195236; U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,479; Japanese Patent Application Nos. 63-57785, 63-183344, 63-325638, 1-21862, 1-25362, 1-30246, 1-20222, 1-218631-37181, 1-33108, 1-851981, 1-172595, 1-172594, 1-172593; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,846,418, 4,848,693 and 4,832,275.
Next, film cartridges housing photographic material will be described. The main material of cartridges used in the invention may be metals or synthetic plastic resins. Preferred examples of plastic resin material include polystyrene, polypropylene and polyphenyl ether. The cartridge may contain various antistatic agents; and carbon black, metal oxide particles, nonionic, anionic, cationic or betaine-type surfactants are preferable. Static-free cartridges are described in JP-A 1-312537 and 1-312538 and those which exhibit a resistance of 1012xcexa9 or less at 25xc2x0 C. and 25% RH are specifically preferred. Conventionally used plastic resin cartridges are made by compounding carbon black or pigments for light-tightness. The cartridge size may be the same as the present 135-size. Alternatively, to make the camera format still smaller, it is useful to make the 25 mm cartridge diameter of the present 135-size 22 mm or less. The volume of the cartridge case is preferably not more than 30 cm3, and more preferably not more than 25 cm3. The weight of plastic resin used in the cartridge or its case is preferably 5 to 15 g. A cartridge in which film is delivered by a rotating spur is also usable. A structure is also feasible, in which the top of the film is housed within a cartridge and the film top is delivered from the port portion of the cartridge to the outside by rotating the spur shaft in the direction of film delivery. These are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,834,306 and 5,226,613.
The photographic material relating to the invention may be housed in a commercially available lens-fitted film unit. It is also preferable to load the photographic material into the lens-fitted film unit described in Japanese Patent Application Nos. 10158427, 10-170624 and 10-188984.